FTC Warns of 1-800 Scam

A toll-free number, 1-800-DO-NOT-CALL, that offers to register consumers for the national no-call list for a $2.95 fee, is a scam, the Federal Trade Commission said last week.

The number is not run by the government, and registering for the no-call list is free, the FTC said. The New York state Consumer Protection Board issued a similar warning and stated that the number had been "heavily advertised in the New York City area and elsewhere in the country."

Consumers who call the number are greeted by a recorded voice that instructs them to have their credit cards ready. The IVR system uses speech recognition, and it says that only those who call from the number they wish to include on the no-call list can be registered.

The official no-call registration toll-free number is 1-888-382-1222. Registration also is available online at donotcall.gov.

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